5 Steps to Giving Perfect Bridal Party Gifts [Guest Post]

As you enter the home stretch of your wedding planning journey, there’s one key duty that can’t be overlooked: finding the perfect gifts to thank your wedding party members with. Sure, it may seem like a simple task but it’s actually one of the most important things you’ll do as a bride or groom.

Being asked to be part of a wedding party is an honor. It’s also a lot of work. Your friends and family will have spent much time, money and energy to be part of your big day, not to mention the ancillary events associated with it such as an engagement party, bridal showers and the rehearsal dinner. They deserve a little something for their effort, right? Thanking wedding party members traditionally includes both an acknowledgement during a wedding speech as well as a gift. Said gifts are usually decided on and purchased a month prior to the wedding at the latest.

Need a few tips to get your creative gifting juices flowing? Here are five easy steps that will make the process a breeze:

1. Get creative: Instead of going with the “usual suspects” for gifts, think outside the box. There are countless unique gift ideas on sites like Pinterest and Etsy. This way, your groomsmen won’t get more watches and your bridesmaids won’t get another tote bag.

2. Individualize: There’s no requirement that says each groomsman or bridesmaid has to receive the same gift. Your groomsmen may be comprised of an avid fisherman, a techie and a beer pong enthusiast. This might make it hard to find a singular gift that all three are going to enjoy equally. Think about the personal interests of each wedding party member and go from there. Just remember to spend the same amount on each person!

3. Make it Personal: Personalization always makes a gift mean a little more. It’s commonplace for brides and grooms to engrave or embroider gifts with names and dates. This way, the gift can serve as a special memento for years to come. With most websites offering free personalization on gifts for groomsmen and bridesmaids, it won’t cost you anything extra to make your gifts mean a little something more.

4. Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute: Order early! Certain gifts require a lead time to order and produce. Be sure to give yourself enough time to get everything delivered to you. Remember, the longer you wait, the fewer high quality gifts are available to you.

5. Give a little more than a gift: In addition to handing out gifts, don’t forget to acknowledge the effort put in by each wedding party member. Consider writing personalized thank you cards to go with your gifts. Or, if you’ve got a few spare minutes in the rehearsal dinner or reception schedule, grab the mic and thank everyone publically. Having your guests give a round of applause can also be a very memorable gesture.

This was a guest post by Chris Easter. Chris Easter is co-founder of TheManRegistry.com, the leading online wedding resource for men. He also serves as editor-in-chief for the company’s GroomsAdvice blog. Through his own experiences as a confused, yet determined groom, he helped craft the vision for the company which includes blogs, checklists and gift ideas. His first book, Be the Man, was released in January 2012.